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Michelle Hupfer has been fighting her father's war against prostate cancer since she was 24. Eight years ago, in January 2004, Bruce Alan Hupfer was diagnosed with late-stage prostate cancer that had metastasized into his bone. He was 57 at the time.

"I remember he was working in our bathroom, and he was complaining a lot about back pain," Hupfer recalls of her dad's health leading up to his diagnosis. Concerned, her mother suggested he make an appointment with his physician, who ran a battery of tests, including a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test, to determine the cause of his discomfort.

The PSA test for prostate cancer has been the source of some controversy in recent years — some experts say it leads to overtreatment and shouldn't be used — but many doctors still recommend it for men in their fifties, particularly if they demonstrate other symptoms such as urinary problems or pain. The way the test works is by measuring the amount of a certain protein in a man's blood. "Normal" levels vary depending on the individual's age and personal risk factors, but in general, a result of less than three nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) is considered ideal. Bruce Hupfer's reading was 1000 ng/mL — off the charts, so to speak.

"They thought there was something wrong with the instrument," his daughter says. "They had to repeat the test again, but when they repeated it, they got the same number."

A high PSA is not always indicative of a serious problem — elevated readings can result from recent ejaculation, cycling, or even sitting for long periods of time — but in Bruce's case, there was little doubt that the culprit was cancer. A biopsy confirmed the diagnosis, and scans showed that it had spread to other parts of his body.

Taking the Fight to the Fairway

Hupfer and her parents had always had a special bond, in part because of the death of her sister some years earlier, but Bruce's cancer brought them even closer together and in fact inspired Hupfer to make a change in her own life — one that honored her father's love and legacy.

After graduating from Northern Illinois University with a business degree, Hupfer took a job as a logistics analyst for a company an hour and a half away from her family's home in Crystal Lake, Ill. After her dad was diagnosed, however, she realized something was missing from her life. Namely, golf.

Hupfer's parents started taking her out on the golf course when she was just 8 years old. "It was something we did as a family," she says. "I was always into sports, so I was like their little tomboy."

Wanting to get back into the game, which she had played through college as a member of the golf team at NIU, Hupfer switched gears and got a job as an assistant golf professional while finishing her PGA certification requirements. Then one day in 2004, she came across an article on Arnie's Army Battles Prostate Cancer, a charity golf event started by PGA champion and cancer survivor Arnold "the King" Palmer. Inspired, Hupfer hosted a par 3 competition at her local golf club to help raise money and awareness for the organization. Over the course of two afternoons, she raised $2,000.

Encouraged by the success of that first event, she hosted another contest in 2005 and raised an additional $3,600, bringing her total to more than $5,500.

Meanwhile, her father was waging his own war against the disease at home. Surgery is not a viable option for advanced prostate cancer, so Bruce was limited to hormone therapy, chemo, and radiation. He fought hard, but the cancer fought back, and in February 2006, he died of the disease at 59 years old.

Staying the Course

Her father's death was devastating, but Hupfer didn't want her battle against prostate cancer to end just because his did. In fact, losing him to the disease made her more determined than ever to help others beat it.

In 2007, three years after her first Arnie's Army fundraiser, Hupfer organized a charity golf event all her own: the Bruce Alan Hupfer Memorial Golf Tournament, nicknamed the BAHUP Memorial. In its first year, the event attracted 35 attendees and raised more than $15,000 for the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF), the world's largest philanthropic organization for prostate cancer. The second year was an even bigger success, bringing in almost double the participants and some $27,800.

"My father lived his life with the motto, never give up and always strive for success," Michelle said in an interview for PCF, explaining what motivated her to keep going. "He exemplified this stance on life until his death, teaching me to always set goals and strive for improvement. His advice, knowledge, and humor were the drive to get me to where I am today."

In all, Hupfer's efforts have raised more than $155,000, which has directly benefited both the Prostate Cancer Foundation and PCF researcher Arul Chinnaiyan, MD, PhD, who leads a team at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, that's focused on genomics and late-stage metastatic cancer research. Hupfer hasn't met Dr. Chinnaiyan, but they've spoken on the phone, and she says she's excited about his work — regardless of the fact that her father didn't live long enough to benefit from it.

"My dad suffered a horrible disease," she told PCF. "Even though he isn't around anymore, it gives me great satisfaction knowing that others will be cured."

Hupfer is taking a break from organizing the BAHUP Memorial in 2012, but she continues to honor her dad's legacy by playing golf and contributing to Arnie's Army.

"I think he'd be proud of what I've done," she says, reflecting on the last few years. "I mean, I know he'd be proud."

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